Artificial resistance.



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To aZZ whom/it may concern:

citize'n of the United States,

gether with a relatively large prising silica in a 'form. H The object GEORGE JACOB GAGE, 0F HILLYARD, CQM?ANY, SPOKANE,

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""wasi'irriis'rou; Lassrsivon' T0 GAGE ELECTRIC wasnmeron, A coarona'rrou.

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30 Drawing.

GEORGE Jiioon GAGE, a I residing at Hillyard, in the county of Spokane I and State of Washington, have invented, certain new and useful lmprovements'in Artificial Be it known that I,

Resistances, of which the following is a specification. k 1 This inventionrelates to a non-metallic resistance, particularlyvvaluable for use in electric heaters; audit comprises a resistance made up ofa relatively small amount of graphite ,asthe main cond'ucting element toproportion of carborundum as the resistance 'material,

' these two substances being in a finely dividedand intimately mixed cond tion and bound together a binding material fco'mcrystalline form, the whole resistance element or, mass being ofa'coherentf'nature and of the desired shape or tion of a resistance. element particularly valuable for use in electric heaters 'or in heating by 'elctricitywhich will be compact and efficient and which will enable theproduction of hightemperatures with a current of lovv voltage.

Other objects of theiiiv'ention'will be hereinafter disclosed.

ent invention a small amount of graphitein powdered form is intimately mixed with a relatively large amount of carborundum. In practice I find thatthe proportions of seven pounds of carborundum to one pound of graphite give excellent results. After thoroughly mixing -these powdered materials they are made into a plastic mass or a stiff molded and shaped. After molding or shaping, the mass is put under pressure of about 800 to 1000 pounds in order to compact the same and homogenize the same.-

the shaped After thus molding and pressing,

Specification of Letters Patent.

the invention isthepr o iuc- 7 As such a binding material alkali rammed July as, rare,

a ucaukih fiieairr a 31,1 i912. Serial he. 757,973.

resistances are put in a slow oven and baked, the heatbemg gradually increased until the whole mass becomes annealed and a suificiently high temperature is reached. During this heating the sodium silicate is de composed and the sodium oxid removed by action to be substantially'completed. After removal from the furnace theresistance is ready for use. y

In the present resistance composition the graphite acts as the essential conductor and the carbo rundum as the essential resistance.

'The p roportions indicated of 'these' two ingredients, when properly combined as described, give a resistancein which the graphite is present only to a relatively sinall extenn but nevertheless to a suflicient extent to exert a' substantial selective conducting actionuponlthe current. As a result, when "he current is passed through the resistance it tends to follow the graphite which is presen't I ly to a relativelys'mall extent and arcs are formed between the'particles'of,carbo-' rundur'mfa multitude of small arcs being 'thus'formed which result in the generation of anfintense heat. This heating action can be further increased by increasing the amount of carborundum, the graphite still being present'in suliicient'amount to exert a mass.

and the silica deposited as the efiective binder of the solid mass, by heating there hen sodium silicate is-used as binder results a coherent bond of deposited silica in a more or less crystalline form which hold the minute particles of the mass together and further increases its heating capacity.

The present resistance element can be used in general for purposes of electrical resistance and is particularly valuable foruse in' electric heating apparatus. For instance, when used in an. electric iron it holds the heat well and does not deteriorate after convolatilization, leaving pure silica as binder. The temperaturelof the furnace should be finally maintained such as to enable this re- "selective conducting action throughout the tinned use. Because of its peculiar properties it requires only a low voltage to generate intense heat. A temperature of over 600 has been obtained with a volt current, consuming 75 amperes. As compared with iron or carbon resistances the present resistance composition or element ofl'er very material advantages since only small bars 110 are necessary. For instance,a test bar made according to the present lnvention, about four inches wide by threequarters of an inch thick and twenty-three inches. long has been used with good results in melting ores in cases where previously resistances with an area more than one hundred times as great have been employed. I

The present composition can be molded into any desired shape to adapt it to a de sired condition. It can be applied to an electricheater or to an electric iron or to other heating apparatus. Connections are made with this resistance by means of carbon or other conductors. In applying the present element or composition to electric heaters, it is sometimes advantageous to control the heat so that it will be given off more at one side than at the other. I have found that one side of the present resistance element can be efi'ectively insulated and the heat directed principally from the other side by covering the side which it is desired to insulate with a paste which may be made of the poorer qualities of carborundum. lhis layer of carborundum acts as an efi'ective insulator. used for cooking, etc, such a coating of insulation could be applied to the sides and .bottom of the heating element causing the heat to be given off principally at the top.

Variations can be made in the foregoing description without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I consider that the present composition is made up of a relatively small amount of graphite as conductor, together with a relatively large amount of (several times as much) carborundum as resistance, these two ingredients being intimately combined and In case of a resistance element bound into a coherent mass by a bond of an the proportions 0 about one part by weight of graphite to seven of carborundum, said ingredients being formed and bound together by a suitable inorganic binding material into'a coherent compacted and molded form by pressure and by heating.

2. An electrical resistance comprising graphite and carborundum' in the proportions of about one part of graphite to seven of carborundum, these ingredients being formed and bound into a coherent, cornpacted and molded form by pressure and by heating, the effective binding agent for said materials comprising silica set free from alkaline silicate. during the heating of said re sistance.

3. An electrical resistance comprising finely divided gra hit-e and carborundum in the proportions 0 about one part by weight of graphite to seven of carborundum, said ingredients being formed and bound together by a suitable inorganic binding material into a coherent compacted and molded form'by pressure and by heating, and said comprising finely divided grafphite and carborundum in resistance having on one or more sides thereof a heat insulating coating integrally united therewith.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

GEQRGE; JACOB GAGE.

Witnesses:

HAROLD SoAN'rLEBUnY, EDNA BRoYLns. 

